


Connections

by enigmaticblue



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-10
Updated: 2011-08-10
Packaged: 2017-10-22 11:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/237593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the hc_bingo prompt "rejection"</p>
    </blockquote>





	Connections

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the hc_bingo prompt "rejection"

Rodney stares out at the ocean surrounding Atlantis. They’re finally back in Pegasus, on the same planet they’d left almost a year before, and Rodney can’t believe how much things have changed.

 

A year ago, he’d stood on this very balcony with his arms around Jennifer, and the whole world had lain at his feet. And now…

 

How very quickly things change.

 

Rodney hears a throat clearing behind him, and he turns to see John hovering in the doorway.

 

“You said you wanted to see me.” John’s tone is wary and uncertain.

 

Rodney’s prepared speech goes right out of his head. “When did we stop doing this?”

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Oh, don’t give me that,” Rodney replies irritably. “You’re not stupid, no matter what you might pretend.”

 

John makes a face, wearing an expression that Rodney can’t interpret. “ _Rodney_.”

 

“No, seriously, when did we stop doing this?” Rodney asks plaintively.

 

John sighs and joins him at the railing. “”I think we stopped right about the time you started seriously dating Keller.”

 

Rodney hears the reproach in John’s voice, and he knows it’s not completely misplaced, but he doesn’t want to deal with that right now. “You know, our relationship is the longest one I’ve ever had.”

 

“We don’t _have_ a relationship, McKay,” John corrects him irritably.

 

Rodney glares at him. “We’re friends.” Then he adds, suddenly uncertain, “Aren’t we?”

 

John’s expression softens considerably. “Yeah, of course we’re friends.”

 

“So, this is the longest relationship I’ve ever had—barring Teyla, but I’ve still known you for marginally longer.”

 

There’s a smile playing around John’s mouth now. “True.”

 

“I just—” Rodney sighs. “I’m trying to tell you that I’m bad at this. I’m bad at juggling relationships. I’ve never really had more than one at a time, and so trying to deal with two or more is _hard_.”

 

John edges a little closer. “I get it, McKay. What brought this on?”

 

“I asked Jennifer to marry me,” Rodney confesses.

 

John stiffens. “Should I have brought champagne?”

 

“She turned me down.” Rodney can’t quite manage to keep the hurt out of his voice. “We broke up.”

 

John turns, and Rodney has learned enough about people to be able to read John’s body language—he’s opening up, warm and concerned for Rodney’s sake, and this is why Rodney had wanted to tell John first.

 

John might suck at talking about feelings, but he’s still the person Rodney trusts most, and Rodney knows that John will do the right thing. He might even go so far as saying the right thing.

 

“I’m sorry, buddy,” John says.

 

Rodney shrugs. “She wants to go back to Earth when her contract is up, and I—don’t.”

 

“You’ve always said that Atlantis can’t do without you,” John replies lightly.

 

“This is my _home_ ,” Rodney says plaintively, knowing that John will understand that feeling. “This is—”

 

John grips the back of Rodney’s neck. “This is where you belong.”

 

The moment hangs between them, and Rodney leans in a little closer, relishing the way John’s arm goes around his shoulders after a moment, the way John’s forehead rests against his temple.

 

“It’s her loss,” John finally says after a moment, putting a little more distance between them, but not much. He leaves his arm where it is.

 

Rodney manages a smile. “Thanks.”

 

“Hey, any time,” John says, squeezing Rodney’s shoulder briefly before letting go.

 

Rodney stays where he is, his shoulder just brushing John’s. Immediately after Jennifer’s rejection, the world had seemed strange, as though it had tilted off its axis. Everything Rodney had thought he’d known had been proven false. The plans he’d made for their future had dissipated like the morning mists over the surrounding ocean.

 

But now that he’s with John, the world has righted itself.

 

“You know, I think this calls for alcohol,” John announces suddenly. “I’ve got a jug of that Gerasan ale back in my quarters.”

 

Rodney eyes John speculatively. “Have you been holding out on me, Sheppard?”

 

John shrugs. “I didn’t think you’d be interested.”

 

“Well, I am,” Rodney replies briskly.

 

John bumps his shoulder with Rodney’s. “And maybe a movie? I know the geeks uploaded a whole bunch onto the server before we came back to Pegasus.”

 

“Yeah, that would be good,” Rodney replies.

 

John grins, and Rodney is struck by how green his eyes are in this light. “Cool.”

 

Rodney can’t help but return the smile. “Yeah, that’s right. You’re cool. I’m fine.”

 

John slings an arm around Rodney’s shoulders. “You will be, anyway.”

 

Rodney leans into him and thinks maybe John is right—even if he doesn’t say it out loud.


End file.
